Microsoft drags 9 resellers to court for 'Windows' Piracy

Microsoft has its sights trained on another bunch of Chinese software pirates, this time pitting its formidable resources against nine resellers it said installed illegal copies of Windows onto PCs they sold. Redmond said it started proceedings against the resellers in seven cities across the People’s Republic including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Chengdu.
The nine firms in the dock are accused of pre-installing pirated copies of Windows onto Lenovo, Dell, HP and other machines before flogging them to punters. “We want to send a clear message that PC channel piracy is not only IPR theft, but also poses serious security risks to consumers,” said Tim Cranton, Microsoft Greater China's chief legal officer, in a canned statement.
“We believe that these lawsuits will serve as a wakeup call to other branded PC resellers who fail to respect intellectual property rights." This won’t be the first time Microsoft's legal team has sought to make an example out of those it believes are illegally profiting from its IP. The firm celebrated the start of 2009 by seeing the 11 ringleaders of a large piracy syndicate banged up for up to six-and-a-half years after a Shenzhen court found them guilty of selling $2bn (£1.3bn) worth of counterfeit software.
A year later it won another key case in China, when a Shanghai court awarded it 2.17m yuan (£219,500) after finding Dazhong Insurance had been using hundreds of copies of pirated Microsoft software. Redmond will be hoping for another victory in this case, if for no other reason than to act as a timely warning ahead of the imminent arrival of Windows 8 this October.
The signs are good, given that the Chinese government appears to have finally woken up to the massive piracy problem in the country. It’s taking a lead on this, with all government departments forced to use copyrighted software by the end of the year. In fact, Microsoft published the following positive statement from Wu Gaohan, standing director of the Society of Consumer Protection and Law: Since the launch of the State Council’s anti-piracy campaign, we have observed the government’s strengthened efforts to protect IPR. We are pleased to see Microsoft has proactively cooperated with the government in resolving the problem of PC Channel piracy. This is an important step in protecting Chinese consumers and bringing solid improvements to China’s IPR environment. It is paramount in making a safe digital community.
However, the Chinese authorities still seem to be underestimating the extent of piracy in the country a little. Recent government-backed figures said software piracy rates had dropped from 45 per cent in 2009 to just 38 per cent in 2011 – far lower than the 77 per cent estimated by the Business Software Alliance (BSA), which said China was the world’s worst offender.

Apple Tops Google as World's Most Valuable Brand...favorite Women Brand

Apple surpassed Google to become the world's most valuable brand in 2011, according to the BrandZ ranking of the 100 most valuable global brands from Millward Brown. Facebook joined the Top 100 for first time, at No. 35, surging 246% in brand value from the previous year.

The value of the Apple brand reached $153.3 billion in 2011 (roughly one-half of the company's current market value), up 84% from the previous year, while Google's brand value fell 2%, to $111.5 billion, ending its four-year run at No. 1.

Apple's rise came on the success of existing and new products (such as the iPad), successful distribution channels (including retail outlets) and  "anticipation of a broadened strategy making the brand a trifecta of cloud computing, software, and innovative, well-designed devices," according to the report.

Overall, tech brands dominated the 2011 BrandZ ranking: Four of the five brand leaders are in technology.

Also Apple has been ranked as the top technology brand among women in the US, who were asked which tech brand or company they admired most, according to a study from Solutions Research Group (SRG).

Apple was followed by Sony, Microsoft, Dell and Hewlett-Packard (HP), MarketingCharts reports.

The open-ended (unaided) question about most-admired brands is part of SRG's Women & Digital Life study, which explores a wide range of digital behaviors among women. Without being prompted, 20% of respondents mentioned Apple, 14% mentioned Sony, 10% mentioned Microsoft, 10% cited Dell and 6% mentioned HP.

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE may arrive July

It was tipped to be arriving on June 21 but it now looks like anyone planning on getting the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE from Verizon will have to wait until July. Feelers has it that July 5 is the date for HTC Droid fans to put in their diaries though it has yet to be confirmed by Verizon. The initial June 21 date was never confirmed itself but the handset seems to be stretching the "coming weeks" window it was given after it was launched at CTIA, almost two months ago.

Beneath the handset's 4" S-LCD display it's packing a 1.2GHz dual-core processor backed up by 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage with a microSD slot for expansion. On the rear there's an 8mp camera which is joined by a 1.3mp one on the front for video calling. Beats audio integration is also on board, as is NFC connectivity and it will be running Android 4.0 straight out of the box. Powering it all is a 1700mAh battery and it can also act as a hotspot for up to 10 devices.

Aside from the latest tip there's further evidence to suggest the handset is close to launching as last week Verizon dropped the price of the HTC Rezound, the handset the Droid Incredible 4G LTE is believed to be replacing. As far as pricing of the new handset itself goes it's just as unconfirmed as the release date but is expected to go on sale for $149.99 (about N25,000) on a contract.

With Galaxy SIII release dates being pushed back in the US HTC's handset looks set to arrive at the carrier around the same time as its Samsung-made rival. It's hard to see the seeming delay as a strategic move as it would have given the Droid Incredible 4G LTE more of a fighting chance by releasing in the original timeframe of "coming weeks" rather than the months it is turning out to be.

The Incredible 4G LTE, is the third member of the Droid Incredible family, after the Droid Incredible 2 and the original Droid Incredible. According to Verizon, the Droid Incredible will be available in the next few weeks, but pricing has not yet been announced.

As the name implies, the Droid Incredible 4G LTE hooks into Verizon’s 4G LTE network. It has a 4-inch Super LCD display with a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon processor. It also has a microSD slot, supporting up to 32GB of memory. While the Droid Incredible 4G LTE has many similar specs to HTC’s One line of phones (which includes the One X, One S and One V), this is one big difference.

Qube Cinema Releases Version 3.0 Digital Cinema Server Software

Qube Cinema has announced the release of version 3.0 server software for its digital cinema servers. The new digital cinema server software platform is used in both the Qube XP-I as well as the XP-D, which recently passed the DCI Compliance Test Plan (CTP).

The new modularized version 3.0 software provides a common user experience for setup, operation and maintenance of both XP-D and XP-I servers. The flexible architecture provides XP-D owners with an easy upgrade path to the XP-I server and the Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block (IMB) in order to accommodate 4K resolution and higher frame rates. 

The 3.0 software supports stereoscopic 3D systems, as well as accessibility devices such as on-screen titles, closed captioning, and systems for the visually impaired.

“Gaining DCI compliance for the XP-D and its 3.0 software also helps validate the XP-I server,” said Rajesh Ramachandran, president and CTO of Qube Cinema. “This new system software offers exhibitors a smooth transition to 4K and HFR as DCI specs evolve and new theatrical content is released.”

Qube Cinema is an international manufacturer of Digital Cinema technology and mastering solutions. A subsidiary of India-based Real Image Media Technologies, Qube Cinema draws on decades of experience in media, cinema and entertainment. The company is committed to creating a seamless Digital Cinema environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and postproduction companies with technologies that are innovative, flexible and cost-effective. Qube Cinema’s product lines include the Qube XP series of digital cinema servers, Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block, QubeMaster software solutions, and Qube KeySmith KDM generation system. 

Huawei opens global training hub in Malaysia...first outside China

Global ICT solutions provider, Huawei officially launched its first global training centre outside China in Malaysia, with plans to inject another $30 million in the next two to three years to upgrade its existing ICT facilities. Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd deputy managing director Foo Fang Yong said the investments will include acquiring new technologies and distance learning facilities.

“We are committed to bring in the latest technology into Malaysia and we will keep on refreshing the technology at the centre and the lab. The amount of investment is difficult for me to project. The effort would be similar to what we made in the last two years,” Foo told reporters after the official launch of its Malaysia Global Training Centre by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

To date, he said the Chinese company has made close to $30 million investments in Malaysia, which includes the facilities, equipment and the training centre. He said Huawei also plans to triple the number of trainers to 150 by 2015 from the present 50 trainers, with aim to develop Malaysian talents in the field of telecommunication and ICT.

Speaking at the launch, Najib said the centre, which is designed to provide the latest telecommunication and ICT technology training to Huawei’s global customers from Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, is expected to be a major contributor to gross national incomes by 2020.

Najib said it is also part of Huawei’s goal to train and develop 10,000 Malaysian ICT and telecommunication professionals by 2016, following an agreement between the firm and the government in April last year.

Huawei Malaysia managing director Dai Jngyue said the company also sealed agreements with 10 local universities that will initiate the setting up of 10 Huawei University Training Lab under MSC Malaysia MyUniAlliance (Huawei) programme in each of the universities.

This, he said was to further cultivate the interest of students in the field of next generation ICT technologies such as cloud computing, Long Term Evolution (LTE) and fixed broadband.

The universities are Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Multimedia University, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Petronas and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

NOTAP Sponsors AISMA Award category at Cyber Nigeria Forum 2012

In a clear departure from the prevailing practice within media-based ICT events and awards, the government agency charged with the responsibility of regulating and managing technology usage, transfer, knowledge and promotion, the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) has resolved to use the platform of the forthcoming Cyber Nigeria Forum 2012 to sponsor an award category.

The award category being sponsored by NOTAP, which is under the umbrella of AFRICA INFORMATION SOCIETY MERIT Awards (AISMA), is meant to recognize and reward the Best Technology Transfer Agreement in Nigeria.  In a letter to the organizers of Cyber Nigeria Forum and AISMA, the DG of the agency Engr. Umar Buba Bindir commended the efforts put into the conceptualization of the event. His words: "In this present era of globalization and liberalization, a nation must be able to harness her ideas inventions, innovations and creative works towards technological advancement and global competitiveness as well as nurture national talents and instill responsibility especially in the cyberspace. "NOTAP wants to use this award category within the Cyber Nigeria Forum/AISMA platform to help create an enabling environment and encourage more activities in the area of technology transfer into Nigeria".

According to the coordinator of the event Mr. Bayero Agabi, nominations for all the award categories will be made public and through the official website of the event in the shortest possible time.

As one of the highlights of the Cyber Nigeria Forum that is billed for the 28th of July at the prestigious Sheraton Hotels Ikeja, the AISMA awards for this year will include categories to cater for all areas of the information society. A detailed list of categories and nominees can be found in the web page: www.cyberafricanews.com/cybernigeriaforum

The African Information Society Merit Awards – is a bi-annual pan-African award which was initiated in 2009 to recognize and celebrates iconic contributions to ICT applications, usage, deployment and development across Africa. The awards seek to celebrate innovations that are transforming Africa’s landscape from business to finance, tourism to entertainment and the media among others. The pan African awards is meant for individuals, organizations and initiatives that promotes the knowledge economy in Africa. The first edition according to stakeholders recorded the best attendance in-terms of quality and government representation. Attendance cut across the entertainment industry to arts, ICT, business and finance sectors.

Cyber Nigeria Forum 2012 on its part, is designed to focus on Nigerias' activities in the cyberspace, benefits derivable from the internet,  e-business, cashless transactions, regulation, job creation and economic development in line with the government transformation agenda.

The event will also examine Nigeria and its activities in the cyber space Vis a vis how the youth are channeling their creative energy to making positive impact or otherwise using the social media tools.

New IBM Software Helps Strengthen Security of Mobile Devices

IBM has announced new software to help organizations develop mobile applications that are more secure by design. Now, clients can build security into the initial design of their mobile applications so that vulnerabilities will be detected early in the development process. This announcement further expands IBM's strategy to provide clients with a mobile platform that spans application development, integration, security and management.

With more than five billion mobile devices in the world - and only 2 billion computers - the shift to mobile devices as the primary form of connecting to corporate networks is increasing rapidly. Securing those devices is becoming a top priority for security executives and CIOs. As companies embrace the growing "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) trend, the need to secure the applications that run on these devices is becoming more critical. According to the 2011 IBM X-Force Trend and Risk Report,http://www-03.ibm.com/security/xforce/ mobile exploits increased by 19 percent in 2011. In addition, according to the recently released data from the IBM Center for Applied Insights study, 55 percent of respondents cited mobile security as a primary technology concern over the next two years.

The rapid consumerization of mobile endpoints, applications and services has created the urgent need to secure corporate applications on employees' devices. With the latest release of the IBM Security AppScan portfolio, IBM now offers a robust application development security solution, allowing clients to integrate mobile application security testing throughout the application lifecycle.

"We are seeing increased demand from companies looking to extend their corporate applications to mobile devices," said Stuart Dross, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Cigital, Inc. "The ability to scan native and hybrid mobile applications for security vulnerabilities is a major step forward in securing sensitive data and mitigating security risks."

Mobile applications represent a new threat target, since they carry a higher risk of attack compared to web application vulnerabilities. Attackers are increasingly focusing on mobile applications because many organizations are not aware of the security risks introduced by the most basic mobile applications. Beyond the traditional threats, for example, a hacker could perform a SQL injection or scripting attack on the applications. 

Mobile applications also come under attack from malware and phishing, or scanning QR codes with malicious scripts. Additionally, mobile applications have vulnerabilities specific to mobile devices because they often store sensitive data that can be leaked to malicious applications. This data, once stored locally, typically is outside the protection of the corporate security programs. The new AppScan analysis capabilities will find these vulnerabilities to help developers build more secure mobile applications.

"Providing clients with the ability to scan mobile applications for vulnerabilities--including applications developed in-house and outsourced is the next step of our mobile strategy," said Marc van Zadelhoff, vice president of Strategy and Product Management, IBM Security Systems." With more than 120,000 of our own employees accessing IBM's network through mobile devices, we have had to focus heavily on developing a way for employees to work safely and securely." 

By this move, IBM extends its market leading static application security testing to native Android applications, which allows clients to conduct their own testing for mobile applications. In the past, for mobile application security testing to be done, clients would have to send their applications and software IP (Intellectual Property) to an offsite vendor to test for vulnerabilities. This approach doesn't scale and the response time is too slow, as mobile applications undergo constant revisions and updates. Organizations need to address mobile application security testing in-house early in the software development life cycle.

In addition to the mobile application testing capabilities, there are significant new capabilities from which customers can benefit:

Integration with IBM's QRadar Security Intelligence Platform allows for increased Security Intelligence when an application is moved into production. By correlating known application vulnerabilities with user and network activity, QRadar can automatically raise or lower the priority score of security incidents.

A new Cross Site Scripting (XSS) analyzer which uses a learning mode to quickly evaluate millions of potential tests from less than 20 core tests. This new XSS analyzer finds more XSS vulnerabilities faster than any previous version of AppScan.

New static analysis capabilities help companies adopt broad application security practices through simplified on-boarding of applications and empowering non-security specialists to test faster than with prior releases.

Predefined and customizable templates that provide development teams the ability to quickly focus on a rule set prioritized by their security teams,helping corporations focus on key issues for them across their organization.

In addition to the QRadar integration, AppScan offers integration points with IBM Security Network IPS and IBM Security SiteProtector, and is a regular complement sold with IBM Guardium and IBM Security Access Management solutions for end-to-end application security. The approach is to provide a comprehensive and integrated security framework for applications across the development and production lifecycle.

IBM has a broad portfolio of mobile security solutions, ranging from helping secure data on the device, to running safer mobile applications. IBM has been steadily investing in the mobile space for more than a decade, both organically and through acquisitions, building a complete portfolio of software and services that delivers enterprise-ready mobility for clients.